Megohime | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1568 |
| Died | February 21, 1653(1653-02-21) (aged 84–85) |
| Other names | Yoshihime Lady Tamura (田村御前) Yōtokuin (陽徳院) |
| Spouse | Date Masamune |
| Children | Irohahime Date Tadamune Date Munetsuna Date Takematsumaru |
| Parent(s) | Tamura Kiyoaki Okita |
| Family |  Tamura clan Date clan |
Megohime, orYoshihime (愛姫; 1568 – February 21, 1653) was a Japanese noble lady andaristocrat from theAzuchi–Momoyama period to the earlyEdo period. She is the daughter and only child ofTamura Kiyoaki,[1] the lord of Miharu Castle, and Okita, daughter ofSōma Akitane. She was also the wife ofDate Masamune. She was also known asLady Tamura (田村御前). After fulfilling herpravrajya, herposthumous Buddhist name wasYōtokuin (陽徳院).[1]
In 1579, she married her second cousin[2] Masamune at the age of twelve. Herwet nurse was killed by Masamune, who suspected that betrayers from the Tamura clan were involved in the assassination attempt on him. It is said that her marriage got worse for a while because many otherhandmaidens serving her were executed.
However, after she moved to the Date residence inJurakudai inKyoto, her marriage seemed to be restored and she gave birth toIrohahime (Matsudaira Tadateru's wife) in 1594. From there, she had four children with Masamune, includingIrohahime,Date Tadamune (the second lord of the Sendai Domain), Munetsuna Date, and Takematsumaru Date.[3]
Even after she lived in the Date residence in Jurakudai, she might have played a role of a woman diplomat to inform Masamune of the Kyoto situation. In a letter addressed to him, she wrote:
"The world has not been stabilized yet. You should decide your course of action in accordance with the cause of the universe. Don't worry about me. I always have a knife with me. I'll promise not to be shamed."
When Masamune died on June 27, 1636, she entered the Buddhist priesthood under the Ungo Zenji and called herself Yōtokuin.[4]
Megohime died on February 21, 1653, at the age of 86.[5] It was the same day as the mensiversary of Masamune's death. Her graveyard is located in the Yotokuin mausoleum near theZuigan-ji Temple.[6][7]
She frequently asked Masamune and Tadamune to restore the Tamura family.[8]
Tadamune obeyed his mother's will and rebuilt the Tamura family with his son,Muneyoshi, as the lord the same year as his mother's death.[5]